Ciénaga de Zapata

Location of the municipality

Satellite image of the peninsula

Red flamingos on the Zapata

In a crocodile farm

Ciénaga de Zapata ( Spanish for swamp of Zapata ) is a Cuban municipality on the Zapata Peninsula (Spanish Península de Zapata ) in the province of Matanzas . There is also the swamp area of the same name . Ciénaga de Zapata protrudes from the Cuban mainland into the Gulf of Batabanó on the south coast to the Caribbean Sea . The peninsula is the largest and least populated municipality in Cuba and belongs to the Matanzas province. In 2012 the population was 9136 on a municipality area of ​​4354.3 km², which corresponds to a population density of 2.1 inhabitants per km².

Because of their unique natural resources, the region became a UNESCO - Biosphere Reserve declared. She is also on Cuba's tentative list as a candidate for World Heritage .

geography

It is the wettest area on the Caribbean islands with an area of ​​3000 km², a west-east extension of 175 km, between Punta Gorda and Jagua , and a maximum north-south extension of 58 km. The administrative headquarters are in Playa Larga .

The peninsula is home to the endemic diamond crocodiles and numerous migratory birds. The gundlach pigeon, which is one of the endangered species of pigeon in the Caribbean, also occurs here. Therefore the peninsula was designated as a national park. The majority can only be explored in the company of a guide.

Economy and Infrastructure

The tourist center of Boca de Guamá with the Laguna del Tesoro is located on the only road on which the peninsula can be crossed from north to south from Jagüey Grande . The road leads to Playa Larga on the south coast at the innermost point of the Bay of Pigs and on to Playa Girón , where the Museum of the Bay of Pigs Invasion is located.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Census 2012 (PDF; 257 kB) , ONE
2. ↑ BirdLife factsheet on the gray-headed earth dove , accessed June 27, 2008

Coordinates: 22 ° 20 ′ 0 ″  N , 81 ° 37 ′ 0 ″  W.